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我们的一位诗人朋友,曾经把这首诗推荐给New Yorker发表。NYer没有用,最后发在别的诗刊上。我没有看到她发表的诗的版本,翻译的是一个老版。诗人的一个常见特质,是即使人很年轻, 没有多少生活体历,但思想会比较老成,常常出些杞人忧天的文字,企图用自己生命的那点弱火,照亮一下他们心目中那个蒙昧、黑暗的尘土、精神世界,即使那种照亮微如萤火,或者是瞬息的闪光。但他们不可救药地乐此不疲。
六节诗(sestina)是英文诗中独特的体裁。主体六组诗(stanzas),每组六行。此外还有结尾一组(tercet),只有三行。全诗一共有39行。六组诗中,第一组诗结尾的六个字,在后面的五组中也要成为结尾字,但出现的顺序不同。如果第一组的尾字排列为123456,那后面的五组,顺序分别为615243, 364125,532614,451362,以及246531。结尾一组三行诗中,通常每句分别包含前面六个字中的1和2,3和4,5和6字,但也存在变体。为了方便,我在下面把相关的字标上数字,可以见到变化的顺序。
我翻译时,在中文句子中保持了原诗的结尾规律。由于词性、句型的差别,以及一个字在中英文中分别多义,对译时很难对等,这样强迫对应,会显得生硬。好在是我女儿的诗,怎么折腾,译得再臭,她也不至于把我怎么样。
The Strangler Fig -- 绞杀榕
It begins almost like love: a seed -1 犹如爱的开始:一粒种子
shaken off into some dark root, -2 豁然开悟发出些隐晦的根,
growth without the realization of growth. -3 生长于未觉的生长。
To the elm it is just another dark -4 于榆树,这只是另一簇森林之黑暗
aspect of forest alighting on the body, -5 飘落到自己的身躯,
the first tendril like wind, or a soft -6 如风般的第一卷须蔓,或柔和
trail of rain still sliding. Need opens the coat softly, -6 潲过的雨痕一缕。宿命脱去子衣如此之柔和,
but still the tree barely feels the seed, -1 而榆树仍未知觉那粒种子,
the hungry intentions of such a small body. -5 贪婪的用心蕴育在它渺小的身躯。
A white foot, thin root -2 一只白色的脚,是纤细的根
scrapes the flank of elm. In darkness, -4 擦过榆树的躯侧。借着黑暗
legs begin to lengthen—growth -3 腿脚试着伸展——生长
over the mottled bark, growth -3 于斑驳树皮之上,生长
into the wet soil, the entry like a moan, a soft -6 入湿润的土壤,透地如吟,柔和
bed, returning home beneath a darkening -4 如席梦思,如归宿在黑暗
sky. How is it that this seed -1 降临的天空下。如何能是这粒种子
already holds the leaf and root, -2 竟已紧拥那叶与根,
the fever of living wound tight in its body -5 那初创伤口的烧灼于其身躯
—a body -5 ——如此的身躯
that will topple the elm despite its long growth, -3 将倾覆那株榆树,任凭它经年的生长,
despite the many rings and branching roots? -2 那圈圈的年轮和还在分叉的根?
It must be love that lets the vine tug, soft - 一定是让藤蔓牵曳的爱 ,柔和地
against the taproot—at least the seed -1 依傍着树根——至少那粒渴望的种子
of longing that permits this twining in the dark. -4 容许了如此的缠绕于黑暗。
Even if desire is not the word, the dark -4 即使愿望并非合适的表达,那黑暗
ground will still hold the elm in place: a body -5 土地将把榆树擎住:那个身躯
that trembles at its tips, forced to feel a seed -1 带着颤抖的枝端,无奈地感受一粒种子
unravel in some peripheral crook, the growth -3 在些许枝叉解脱,那是藤蔓的生长
of vines climbing the trunk. Softly -6 攀上树干。柔和地
asking favors. These leaves and roots -2 沿途借光。这些叶片与根
define the tree, but what strange, rooted -2 赋予树以形,但什么陌生、生根
thing brings desire? Vines arch darkly, -4 之物,能带来渴望?藤蔓缠绕于黑暗,
latticed across a torso of elm. Soon the trunk softens,-6 栅栏般围住榆树的干。树干不觉中变得柔软,
seeming to relent as it dies—the old body -5 犹如临死前的宽恕——榆树老去的躯体
of elm only air beneath this knotted growth. -3 喘息在这纠结下的生长。
Most seeds -1 几乎所有的种子
take root in this quiet way. The body 2, 5 以同样安静的方式生根。而那躯体
not knowing what the growth 3 不知那爱的生长
of love can do—barely even feeling the seed. 1 能够带来的结局——甚至不觉那粒种子。
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